two years ago by beginning Red Hot Repair, in which
Rundle-Spence repairs water heaters, boilers, tankless
heaters and more as an enhancement to customers.

“It’s been an incredible success,” David Spence says ofRed Hot Repair. “A lot of our customers don’t have timeto go service those things, and they certainly don’t wantto call one of their competitors that might be a serviceagent in our area. It’s really led us to put a push with oursalespeople to emphasize our services that set us apart.”Another one of Rundle-Spence’s value-added offer-ings is engineering, where a customer can get help witha project’s design work — whether that involves boilersizing, tubing or piping layout, electrical schematics orsomething else. The company says that service has bledover into other markets and has allowed smaller custom-ers that don’t have an engineering-savvy staff to pick upa medium-sized project and have Rundle-Spence helpbackfill expertise on the job site.

Rundle-Spence also offers fabrication from its shop
where it cuts threat, rolls grooved pipe and puts spools
of pipe together, another way of helping customers take
on bigger projects than they may have shied away from
without their own shop.

Another element that sets Rundle-Spence apart from its
larger competitors like HD Supply or Ferguson is the fact
that it serves contractor customers exclusively, whereas
most other large wholesalers also sell retail.

“We’ve always focused exclusively on the professionalcontractor. We think that gives us an advantage withloyalty,” David Spence says. “Other companies might bespreading themselves thin by marketing to different typesof customers.”Rundle-Spence’s service offering is apparent themoment a customer calls in and immediately hears areceptionist ask, ‘Plumbing, industrial or heating?’ That’sbecause the company has product specialists in each area.If someone calls in wanting an actuated valve, they won’tget routed to someone who instead knows a lot moreabout plumbing. They’ll get someone in industrial whocan ask all the right questions and provide answers.Rundle-Spence’s transparency helps its customers, andthe company itself. Being upfront with the company’sA look at the loading dock area insideRundle-Spence’s New Berlin, WI location. (ID photo)